[Structural changes in chromatin of heat shock protein 70 gene of Drosophila during transcription]

Using "protein-image" hybridization technique combined with various crosslinking methods, for formaldehyde-prefixed nuclei we have analysed changes induced by activation in the chromatin structure of HSP-70 genes. From the crosslinking data it follows that chromatin of actively transcribed genes undergoes some structural rearrangements resulting in certain weakening of the contacts between DNA and the globular parts of histones so that the histones remain bound to DNA through their N-terminal regions. In addition, there have been found two specific regions with a reduced content of histones: the 5'-promoter of HSP-70 gene and a region distanced by approximately 1 k.b. from the 3'-end of the HSP-70 gene.